Friday, March 13, 2015

Wine Pairing Weekend - #winePW - happens on the second Saturday of the month. And this month David from Cooking Chat is hosting a recap of what we opened for Open That Bottle Night (OTBN)*. Click to read his invitation: here.

*Note OTBN was on February 28. Today, we’re sharing what we uncorked and what we paired with it.

I had never heard of OTBN before this year. The idea is that you open a special bottle that you've been squirreling away for one reason or another. If you've been saving a special bottle for an equally special occasion, here's your excuse!

It just so happened that I was in Paso Robles with my friends and my husband - exploring Halter Ranch Vineyards - for that day and everyone else seemed to know about the event! People in the tasting room were buzzing about what they planned to open, and pair, that evening. It was inspiring.

In My Glass

Almost a year ago I interviewed a local-to-me winemaker named Ian Brand who was named by Wine Enthusiast Magazine to its "40 Under 40: American Tastemakers" in 2012. It took me until just recently to track down some of his wines. So, I knew that one of his is what was destined for my #OTBN wineglass. I decided to open his La Marea 2012 Mourvèdre.

Mourvèdre is primarily a blending grape - it's the 'M' in GSM blends - but is increasingly being
bottled on its own. And it's one that has definitely caught my eye...and my tongue. It's plush. Well, this one is. I might need to track down a few more bottles. Just to be sure.

Luscious. That's the first word that came to mind when I stuck my nose in the glass. There are hints of berries with a contrast of pepper and sage. This Mourvèdre is richly structured with nuances of floral chaos. Don't get me wrong, I like chaos...I just mean that I couldn't decide - in identifying a floral note - between rose or violet. It definitely has a personality. I thought it would hold up nicely against a robust roasted meat. And it did.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rub the flank steak with the mixture of the coffee, cocoa, paprikas, cumin, and sugar, making sure that you coat the entire surface of the meat. Set aside. Heat a splash of oil in your pan and, then, sear the meat on both sides - approximately 2 minutes on each side. Pour in the beef stock and coffee. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Place the meat in a rimmed baking dish. Pour the stock-coffee mixture over the top.

Cover the dish, and place in the pre-heated oven. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

To serve, place slices on a plate. Top with a medallion of goat cheese. Scatter with halved caperberries. And sprinkle with freshly ground salt and freshly ground pepper.

Suggested sides: roasted potatoes and roasted asparagus. I kept the flavors simple to let the focus remain on the meat and the wine.

Wine Pairing Weekend #10 Bloggers

Be sure to check out what my fellow bloggers have come up with for the March Wine Pairing Weekend!

Follow the #winePW conversation on Twitter throughout the weekend and beyond. If you're reading this early enough, you can join us for a live Twitter chat on our theme "Open That Bottle Night" on Saturday, March 14, from 11 a.m. to noon Eastern Time.

If you can't find La Marea 2012 Mourvèdre, swap out for any Mourvèdre. And if you try this pairing - or just the wine - I would love to hear what you think. Comment below or tweet to me at @Culinary_Cam.

Yum...love Moved Cam! If you haven't tried a Rosé made with mostly Moved, check it out TCV Dianthus, or Tercero makes one that's (I think) 100% Moved. They tend to be a bit more full-bodied as Rosés go. And I know it was a great pairing with your flank steak. Isn't OTBN fun?!

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Just about any occasion sends me to the kitchen to create. My pots and pans are my culinary canvas. I cook dinners for friends' birthdays, for holidays, and three times a day for my family.

My hope is that my descriptions and photos will inspire you to get out to the farmers markets or down an aisle at the grocery store that intimidates you, try some new ingredients, and get crazy with the herbs and spices! Buon appetito!

All the recipes and photos on my blog are original, unless otherwise noted, and are provided for your enjoyment and use. If you do use any of the content of this blog in yours, I ask that you acknowledge the source. Thank you.